


In a Museum

by alexcat



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Friendship, Gen, M/M, Pre-Slash, Prompt Fic, Steve goes to the museum
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:34:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24788566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexcat/pseuds/alexcat
Summary: After Steve moves to DC, Tony takes him to see the Captain America exhibit.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 5
Kudos: 45
Collections: Of Elves and Men





	In a Museum

**Author's Note:**

> From this prompt by Magic Rat: _I once saw a photo of an old Russian man sobbing against a tank in a museum, and when the staff asked what's wrong, he explained that it had been HIS tank. I kinda wonder how Tony would handle watching Steve deal with the fact that EVERYONE he loves and EVERYTHING he holds dear no longer exists._

Tony was down in DC for the week and Steve met him for lunch. They had been getting closer since the battle of New York, but Tony wasn’t yet sure of what their actual status was. He liked Steve a lot, as it turned out, though he wasn’t sure how fond Steve was of him quite yet. 

They met at an old-style diner, the kind that was long and narrow, with a counter all along its length and a few tables along the front wall. It even had mini jukeboxes at every table. They got a seat at one of the tables and ordered burgers and fries. 

Steve looked around and smiled. “Diners like this are something I hate I slept through.”

Tony laughed. “I wasn’t born yet, but my dad liked them. Those are some of the only times I remember being with him and having his attention.” 

They ate quietly for a few minutes, but Tony could only stand so much silence. “How do you like it down here? Have you seen the Captain America Exhibit at the Smithsonian yet?”

“I haven’t. Seems kinda strange. It was only weeks ago to me… not sixty-five years.”

“Happy’ll drive us over if you want to go.” 

Steve nodded. “Yeah. I think it’s about time I saw it.” 

They finished their lunch and headed the Air and Space Museum. Thew exhibit was on the bottom floor. _Captain America – The Living Legend and Symbol of Courage_ the sign said as Gary Sinise, a Hollywood actor who had done lots of PR to benefit Veterans, told his story. 

Steve stopped at the sign and just looked at it. 

_A symbol to the nation. A hero to the world. The story of Captain America is one of honor, bravery and sacrifice,_ the voice said. 

Tony looked at Steve as they approached the huge picture of Steve in full Captain America regalia, saluting. Steve stopped moving at all and simply stared for several seconds. He said nothing but moved along. Tony walked beside him. He wanted to say something but had no idea what to say. 

They moved on to the display of Steve’s motorcycle and mannequins dressed in costumes of the Howling Commandos, though Steve was pretty sure that some of the gear was authentic. 

_In this rare footage, everyone's favorite warrior, Captain America... Battle tested, Captain America and his Howling Commandos quickly earned their stripes. Their mission, taking down HYDRA, the Nazi rogue science division._

Steve bit his lip as he looked at it all. Tony was watching carefully. 

“Dumdum Dugan was a crazy bastard, always wore that bowler hat, too. I remem – uh, I remember meeting him when I went into that HYDRA base.” He stopped and took a deep breath. “They thought I was crazy, dressed in my USO Captain suit with my tin shield.” 

Tony put a hand on Steve’s arm. 

They moved on to the picture of Bucky Barnes. 

_Best friends since childhood, Bucky Barnes and Steven Rogers were inseparable on both schoolyard and battlefield. Barnes is the only Howling Commando to give his life in service of his country._

Tony stepped beside him as footage of him and Bucky came onto the screen. Steve’s hands shook as he gripped the bottom edge of the display. He took a halting breath and looked back up at the photo and biography on the wall. 

Tony put an arm around him loosely. He needed to offer Steve comfort but he wasn’t sure how. All his life, he had avoided such things. Even when his parents had died, he’d never really mourned them. He simply threw himself into sex, drugs and alcohol in order to take the pain away. 

He could see Steve’s pain as he watched the footage of him and Bucky with huge smiles on their faces again. Tony tightened his hold on Steve, leaning into him just a little. He still didn’t know what to say, but he knew this was breaking Steve’s heart. 

“I – perhaps this was not a good idea,” he finally said. 

Steve turned to him and smiled a little, though there were unshed tears in his eyes. “No. Don’t say that. I wouldn’t have missed it. I knew that the exhibit was here and I knew what was in it. I didn’t have to come. I’m glad you brought me here. It’s good to remember them all.” He touched the glass covering the photos of him and Bucky. 

Tony didn’t pull away as they stood there. They moved on, to footage of Peggy talking about him. 

_That was a difficult winter. A blizzard had trapped half our battalion behind the German line. Steve...Captain Rogers, he fought his way through a HYDRA blockade that had pinned our allies down for months. He saved over a thousand men, including the man who would...who would become my husband as it turned out. Even after he died, Steve was still changing my life._

He saw Steve reach into his pocket and take out something. It was a locket. He flipped it open and Tony saw a photo of Peggy. 

“I went to her office once with my dad. She had a photo of you on her desk.”

Steve smiled, a sad smile, but still a smile. 

They looked at the exhibit again and Steve wasn’t as emotional as he was the first time through. It was getting late in the afternoon by the time they got back in Tony’s limo. 

“Where to, boss?” Happy asked.

“Dinner?” Tony asked Steve. 

He nodded. “I’d like that.” 

“You shouldn’t be alone tonight. Today was rough for you.” 

“Thank you for taking me there and for being there.” Steve pulled Tony close for a hug. At first, Tony just let Steve hug him but he finally ended up hugging back, even patting Steve on the back. 

They went to a casual but pricy place for dinner. Tony figured Steve would like a good steak and he was right. Steve ate like a starving man. It made Tony feel good that he could do something so small that seemed to be the right thing to do, for once. 

When they stopped to drop Steve off at his apartment building, he turned to Tony and looked him square in the eye. “Thank you for giving me the chance to remember them. I – they were everything to me – both Bucky and Peggy.” He hugged Tony, pulling him close and just before he got out, he kissed Tony’s cheek. It was just a quick peck, but Tony knew that right then that Steve was going to be a very important part of his life from then on. 

He had no idea how right he was.

**Author's Note:**

> My [**Tumblr**](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/alexcat45).


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